Kinston pianist to perform with new CD on Saturday

On Saturday, Kinston native Clay Whittington will be releasing his new album, Hymnprov, a collection of Methodist church hymns on piano with improvisations of jazz, blues, rock and classical music.

Submitted photo

By Margaret Fisher / Staff Writer

Published: Friday, September 20, 2013 at 07:45 PM.

Clay Whittington will be coming home to Kinston today to release his debut album, Hymnprov.

Whittington, a Kinston native living in Wilmington, will be performing improvisational hymns at 7 p.m. at the Kinston Community Council for the Arts.

The pianist started improvising popular church hymns quite by accident more than a year ago when a performer wasn’t able to make a performance at a church in Fayetteville where he serves as choir director.

“I had to come up with something quick,” the 26-year-old said, “because it’s impossible to come up with someone in a week.”

Whittington managed to come up with a creative solution.

“I asked the congregation to pick out a hymn,” he said, “and, hopefully, I could play it.”

Instead of merely playing the hymn on the piano, Whittington began adding his own sounds to it.

Clay Whittington will be coming home to Kinston today to release his debut album, Hymnprov.

Whittington, a Kinston native living in Wilmington, will be performing improvisational hymns at 7 p.m. at the Kinston Community Council for the Arts.

The pianist started improvising popular church hymns quite by accident more than a year ago when a performer wasn’t able to make a performance at a church in Fayetteville where he serves as choir director.

“I had to come up with something quick,” the 26-year-old said, “because it’s impossible to come up with someone in a week.”

Whittington managed to come up with a creative solution.

“I asked the congregation to pick out a hymn,” he said, “and, hopefully, I could play it.”

Instead of merely playing the hymn on the piano, Whittington began adding his own sounds to it.

“I take the melody of the hymnal and basically improvise,” he said.

While Whittington uses a playlist, his renditions are not rehearsed. They may incorporate jazz, blues, rock or classical music.

All of the concert melodies will be taken from the Methodist church hymnals, but not all of them will be from the new CD.

Whittington, who graduated from Kinston High School in 2005, began playing piano at 8 years old, having been exposed to a variety of music genres by his parents and grandmother.

Tickets are $25 and are available by calling 252-525-5043 or visiting claywhittington.me. When ordering online, enter the promotional code TWANTCD to get 50 percent off the ticket price.

The concert will include a release party with refreshments and a free copy of Hymnprov. Whittington will be available to sign CDs. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m.

Hymnprov is available for purchase at claywhittington.me, the Kinston Community Council for the Arts or by digital download through iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, and CD Baby.

Margaret Fisher can be reached at 252-559-1082 or Margaret.Fisher@Kinston.com. Follow her on Twitter @MargaretFishr.